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    Lando Norris was born into wealth with dad worth £205m, is an F1 star, but split with model Luisinha Oliveira

    LANDO NORRIS is fast-becoming the poster boy of F1.The British-born driver, 23, was in the points at the Melbourne Grand Prix, and will be looking to add to his tally in the Drivers Championship in Azerbaijan this Sunday.
    Lando Norris was shot by Vanity Fair for a fashion magazine spreadCredit: Nick Riley Bentham/Vanity Fair
    Norris is the rising star of F1 and is tipped for more successCredit: Rex
    His talents, and boyish good looks, were recognised by fashion bible Vanity Fair, who had him front and centre of a glossy photoshoot with fellow drivers, Daniel Ricciardo, George Russell, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
    He was born in Bristol to wealthy dad Adam – who amassed a £205million fortune – and mum Cisca from Belgium.
    His professional life seemingly knows no bounds, although his love life suffered a set back when it was announced he had split with stunning Luisinha Oliveira – a Portuguese model who accompanied him to the Brit Awards last year.
    Idolised Valentino Rossi
    Norris was raised in South-West England, attending school in Somerset.
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    However, he left without sitting his GCSEs and later studied physics and maths with the help of a personal tutor.
    His burning desire was to follow in the footsteps of Valentino Rossi, as he developed a love of motorsport.
    But when his father took him to watch a round of the Super 1 National Kart Championships, he was hooked on four wheel racing.
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    Like many F1 drivers, a sport for the rich and famous, Norris grew up affluently.
    Dad Adam amassed a personal wealth of £205million after selling his successful pensions advising company.
    Today, he continues to build on his success with his investment group, Horatio Investments Ltd and in 2016 was 18th in the Bristol Rich List.
    Big break
    Karting was the making of Norris. In 2013, he won the CIK-FIA Karting European Championship and the WSK Euro Series in the KFJ class, while, in 2014, he gained the most prestigious title, the CIK-FIA Karting World Championship in the main KF category.
    With a natural flair for winning, he followed up that success in more powerful vehicles – landing the MSA Formula championship in 2015, and the Toyota Racing Series, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup in 2016.
    It made McLaren take note. He signed a junior driver contract in 2017, and could scarcely believe his achievement.
    “I never knew (I could make it),” he told Autocar.
    “Even in F2, I never went ‘I’ve got this, 100 per cent, I can do this’. You always have a bit of doubt. But the biggest thing was joining McLaren, and my first test in Hungary.”
    He set the second fastest lap in the second day of testing at the Hungaroring.
    Adam Norris is Lando’s dad, who has amassed a £205million fortuneCredit: Alamy
    Like many F1 stars, Norris got his grounding in go kartingCredit: Alamy
    In 2019 Norris made his F1 debut at the Australian GP and became youngest ever British driverCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Two years later, he would partner Carlos Sainz Jr as a McLaren driver in the World Championship.
    Making his debut in the Australian Grand Prix, he would become Britain’s youngest ever F1 driver at 19 years, four months and four days old.
    His debut campaign, finishing eleventh, was enough to convince McLaren Norris was their future.
    Success story
    It was in 2021 where Norris really kicked on.
    At one point, it appeared he would challenge for the title after finishing fourth in the British Grand Prix.
    It moved him into third place in the drivers’ championship.
    Although he faded away in the remaining eight races, he did record four podium finishes in his first 14.
    His highest position – second at the Italian Grand Prix secured the top two positions for McLaren with Daniel Ricciardo eventually winning the race.
    Norris finished sixth in the drivers’ championship in the end, which convinced McLaren to offer him another deal.
    Last season, Norris earned four podium finishesCredit: Rex
    Norris signed a four-year contract worth £80m with McLarenCredit: Splash
    Interestingly, only Max Verstappen has a longer contract in the sport at the moment – with Norris inking a four-year contract worth a staggering £80million.
    But still, he lives frivolously.
    Free ride
    Astonishingly, for someone so wealthy Norris doesn’t actually own a car.
    As is one of the perks of the job, McLaren has loaned him several over the years.
    Speaking to Scott Mills and Chris Stark on their BBC Sounds podcast, however, he confessed his not materialistic.
    Lando said: “I don’t own many things. I’ve not really treated myself.”
    Famously, Norris lived modestly in Woking before moving in the winter to the millionaire’s playground Monte Carlo.
    “It’s something that obviously a lot of drivers go to do, and especially with how racing is – I think you’ve seen it with a lot of the drivers, how quickly things can also go downhill,” he revealed.
    “I still have to look after my life and things for my future so that’s why I had to make the decision.
    In 2021 Norris moved to Monte Carlo’s Fontvieille districtCredit: Getty
    Norris doesn’t own a car but is loaned his motors by McLaren
    “I went with my managers and my trainer and we had a little look around a few different apartments and stuff.
    “I was like ‘I don’t want to be in the same place as Max!’. I don’t know where Lewis is? He’s on the opposite side… I don’t know anybody else over there.
    “But I’m around that area in Fontvieille, which is a nice, quiet place.”
    Model Ex
    Norris cemented his status as F1’s rising star on the showbiz circuit – where he took the red carpet for the Brit Awards.
    Later, he would join Jamie Winstone on stage to hand out an award to pop superstar Dua Lipa.
    As he rubbed shoulders with music glitterati, alongside him stood his beautiful former girlfriend, Luisinha.
    A month earlier, he confirmed his romance with the fashion model on social media during a trip to Dubai.
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    Portuguese model Luisinha Oliveira used to date Norris
    Norris and Oliveira shared an intimate moment together on social media in 2022
    Norris and Oliveira attended the Brit Awards together – but their romance didn’t lastCredit: Instagram @luisinhaoliveira99
    Sharing a photo of them kissing in the desert, he captioned the post “my sunshine”.
    Sadly, the pair called time on their romance at the tail-end of last year, and he is officially single. As F1’s most eligible bachelor, expect there to be plenty of takers. More

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    How the 2024 F1 grid could line up with NO Lewis Hamilton, fresh face at Mercedes and new team-mate for Max Verstappen

    THE Formula One grid in 2024 could look hugely different to what it does now. There are a number of teams who have drivers with expiring contracts.
    Lewis Hamilton may have retired by the start of the 2024 seasonCredit: Getty
    While Sergio Perez may seal a shock move elsewhereCredit: Getty
    It is also not out of the realms of possibility for a team to pick up a driver from an underperforming team.
    So with that in mind, how might the grid look by the start of the 2024 season?
    Red Bull – Verstappen and Tsunoda
    The first big shock would come at Red Bull, where Max Verstappen could be joined by a surprise new team-mate in Yuki Tsunoda.
    A recent report suggested Christian Horner was considering promoting Tsunoda from sister team AlphaTauri.
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    This would naturally lead to Perez’s departure, despite having a contract running to 2024.
    The current relationship between Verstappen and Perez has grown increasingly tense, with the latest from it seeing Verstappen snatch the fastest lap point away from an unhappy Perez in Saudi Arabia.
    Mercedes – Russell and Norris
    In the event Lewis Hamilton decides he has had enough of F1 and decides to allow his contract to expire at the end of the season, Mercedes will need some very capable hands to take his seat.
    There are fewer drivers more capable than McLaren’s Lando Norris, and with his team’s current underperformance, he may be tempted to try and grab a more competitive seat.
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    Indeed, despite being in an inferior car, Norris was the only driver outside of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari to score a podium in 2022 and break the 100-point mark.
    Despite reports suggesting his contract extension with McLaren could pose difficulties, with Norris the Brackley-based team would keep their all-British line-up as he partners George Russell.
    Ferrari – Leclerc and Sainz
    Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have contracts which run until 2024 and both are performing well despite the team’s performance and reliability issues.
    It is difficult to see any changes coming for the Scuderia before next season.
    Aston Martin – Alonso and Stroll
    In a similar sense to Ferrari, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are unlikely to leave Aston Martin.
    Alonso has scored three back-to-back podiums this season, and Stroll’s dad Lawrence is the owner of the team. And he is desperate to give his son a car capable of winning titles.
    McLaren – Piastri and Perez
    With Norris gone, McLaren chief Zak Brown could bring Perez back to McLaren for a chance at redemption.
    Perez replaced Hamilton in 2013, but flopped as he was slammed by team-mate Jenson Button for his “unnecessary” aggressiveness.
    However, with a more mature mindset and far more experience under his belt, Perez could be brought back to ensure McLaren maintains a competitive edge over the rest of the midfield.
    Perez was always a consistent performer when with midfield teams as well.
    Alpine – Ocon and Gasly
    Despite having a less-than-desirable relationship in the past, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will likely remain at Alpin for the 2024 season.
    Both have contracts running until 2024, and a French team with two French drivers would be expected to keep the line up barring an exceptional change in stance between now and the season’s end.
    Haas – Hulkenberg and Ricciardo
    Despite rejecting a seat with the team for this year, team principal Guenther Steiner has remained optimistic about potentially landing Daniel Ricciardo.
    He previously said: “Everybody is wanting to speak with Danny after a year off.”
    Ricciardo would be partnering former Renault team-mate Nico Hulkenberg – with the pair shooting to fame on Drive to Survive – as Kevin Magnussen’s replacement.
    The Dane has one year left on his current deal and could be in line for an extension if he performs well, but a big name like Ricciardo may be too tempting to turn down for Haas.

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
    Alfa Romeo – Bottas and Pouchaire
    If Alfa Romeo opts to drop out-of-contract Zhou Guanyu at the end of the season then their likely replacement will be Theo Pourchaire.
    The Frenchman was second in the F2 championship last year, and is once again sitting in second in the junior formula this year.
    The 19-year-old would represent the natural next choice given how he is already the team’s current reserve driver.
    Valtteri Bottas has a deal running until 2025, so the Finn is not likely to be moving on anytime soon.
    AlphaTauri – De Vries and Iwasa
    Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa currently leads the F2 championship and is next in line to be given an F1 nod by Red Bull.
    This is likely to see him head to AlphaTauri, where Red Bull send their up-and-coming stars to give them handy experience before potentially making the step up to the main team, as seen with Alex Albon and Gasly.
    Nyck de Vries has a contract running until 2024.
    Therefore, like Bottas he is unlikely to be heading elsewhere before next season.
    Williams – Albon and Schumacher
    Albon could have ANOTHER new team-mate at Williams by the start of 2024 with Mick Schumacher making his return to the F1 grid.
    Schumacher is the current reserve driver at Mercedes, and with Williams using the Mercedes engine it may give them a way to strengthen their relationship further.
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    Schumacher was dropped by Haas after a poor showing in his first two seasons. And in a similar sense the same may happen to rookie Logan Sargeant.
    The American has a one-year contract at the team and unless he performs well he could be cut in favour of Schumacher, who has said it is his “goal” to return to the grid in 2024. More

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    Fernando Alonso reveals biggest ever F1 rival as two-time world champ snubs Lewis Hamilton despite epic McLaren battles

    FERNANDO ALONSO singled out Formula One legend Michael Schumacher as his greatest ever rival.Alonso snubbed famous foe Sir Lewis Hamilton, with whom he had such an intense feud when they were team-mates at McLaren for one season in 2007 that he quit the team.
    Alonso snubbed Sir Lewis Hamilton when naming his greatest ever rivalCredit: Splash
    Marco Alonso named Michael Schumacher as his fiercest ever rivalCredit: Getty
    The Aston Martin driver has instead opted for Schumacher, whom he beat to the top in 2005 and 2006 to win both of his world titles.
    The 41-year-old admits it is “difficult” to choose his fiercest ever opponent but the Ferrari legend’s dominance in the mid-2000s ranks him above everyone else.
    Alonso told Bang & Olufsen: “It is difficult to choose one because they were all great rivals and very talented drivers as well.
    “When I came to this sport, Michael Schumacher was dominating the races and everything, probably that fight with him would still be the one I would choose.
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    “Fighting against Michael was very special, so I would say that.”
    Alonso and Hamilton rekindled their rivalry last year after the crashed at the Belgian Grand Prix.
    The Spaniard put the seven-time world champion on full-blast as he branded him “an idiot”.
    The ex-Renault star also claimed the British great “only knows how to drive and start in first” in a petulant attack.
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    But the Mercedes superstar cooled their rift by insisting he is trying to “be a better driver”.
    The 38-year-old then joked on social media that he’d offer Alonso a signed cap as a peace offering.
    Hamilton said: “It’s not a thing for me. It doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t really affect me in the slightest.
    “With the cap it was just a little fun thing. It’s good to have fun sometimes with these things. For me, I am always trying to be a better driver.
    “Also, I know there are a lot of young kids that are following me and it’s important the steps I try to take in my behaviour, so I am always trying to learn and be better.” More

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    McLaren F1 chief Zak Brown calls out Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for Las Vegas BOXING MATCH at Australian GP

    MCLAREN chief Zak Brown has sensationally challenged Toto Wolff to a BOXING MATCH in Las Vegas. Following the chaotic Australian Grand Prix, Brown was in a jubilant mood as Lando Norris and homeboy Oscar Piastri scored their first points of the season.
    Zak Brown has challenged Toto Wolff to a Las Vegas boxing matchCredit: Rex
    Wolff would certainly be a tough opponentCredit: Getty
    And while speaking to Sky Sports, the McLaren CEO issued a challenge towards Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mercedes chief Wolff.
    He said: “We were talking about racing Christian in Silverstone, because I used to race against Christian.
    “And I’ve talked to Toto about it, we’ll see if he’s up for it.
    “When we go Vegas, what’s Vegas known for? [A] Little boxing match? I’m ready.”
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    After some laughter from the Sky crew, their boxing nicknames were also formed with Brown being dubbed “Slugger Brown” and Wolff being dubbed “Terminator”.
    Unfortunately, fans would need to wait until November for such an event to take place, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix not until November 18.
    In the meantime, there are more pressing matters at hand for both.
    Mercedes remain some way short of Red Bull’s pace despite a P2 finish from Lewis Hamilton today.
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    Hamilton himself cast a surprised figure post-race, declaring there was still a long way to go before they would catch Red Bull.
    Meanwhile, McLaren will want to make sure their Australia form carries on for the foreseeable future and that they do not return to their woeful results in the opening two races. More

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    Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in ‘dream’ Australian GP qualifying as Mercedes pair eye shock F1 win

    MAX VERSTAPPEN clinched pole for the Australian GP while Mercedes were given a huge boost, with George Russell qualifying in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.It was a thrilling session as Verstappen, Hamilton and Fernando Alonso all set provisional poles before the world champion came out on top.
    Lewis Hamilton and George Russell enjoyed a ‘dream’ qualifying sessionCredit: EPA
    However, they were still unable to pip Max Verstappen to poleCredit: EPA
    But it was a nightmare for Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate, Sergio Perez, who will start in LAST PLACE.
    Verstappen, who overcame battery and gear-change problems, took his first pole in Australia and said: “The last run was very good. The whole weekend has been tough but it all worked out in Q3.
    “I think we will have a good race car and it will be a tricky race. I have been on the podium once but I want to be on a different step this time.”
    Russell produced an excellent performance to take second as Mercedes defied the odds after a difficult start to the season.
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    He said: “We wasn’t expecting that, that’s for sure! There is a lot of hard work going on and the car felt alive.
    “If I am honest, I am a little disappointed that I did not get pole. It shows how quickly things can change.
    “We would have been happy with fourth on Friday but we made some changes and the car felt great.”
    Hamilton, who starts third – alongside Alonso – was denied the chance to go even quicker on his final lap after getting caught in traffic and said his goal is now to “get first”.
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    He added: “I am so happy with this! This is totally unexpected. I am really proud of the team and George has done a fantastic job.
    “This is a dream for us. We are all working hard and to be this close to the Red Bull is incredible.
    “I hope we can give them a run for their money. I am super grateful for this position and will look to move forward tomorrow.”
    While Verstappen was P1, it was a shocker for Perez, who spun off in Q1.
    The Mexican, who won the last race in Jeddah, went too quickly into turn three and ended up hitting the wall and being dumped out of qualifying at the first hurdle.
    The session was stopped as his stricken Red Bull was recovered while Perez voiced his frustration to his team over the radio.
    “We need to fix that issue, man,” Perez says. “It was the same f issue again!”
    Williams’ revival continued with Alex Albon qualifying in eighth place after the team showed strong signs of progress in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
    Read More on The Sun
    However, there was more misery for McLaren as their struggles continued with Lando Norris qualifying in 13th and Oscar Piastri in 16th.
    Norris has publicly said he was backing McLaren’s engineering changes but this was another poor showing that will ramp up the pressure on CEO, Zak Brown. More

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    F1 strugglers McLaren need a result in Australian Grand Prix or they could face losing young Brit star Lando Norris

    McLAREN will commemorate their 60th anniversary this year – but there is not much to celebrate about their start to this season.It is a worrying time for Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, as they sit bottom of the constructors’ championship without a single point.
    McLaren risk losing Lando Norris if they don’t get a result in Australian Grand PrixCredit: Reuters
    Oscar Piastri, the Aussie at the centre of that tug-of-war with Alpine last year, goes into his home race this weekend in 19th place in the drivers’ championship.
    He’s ahead of only one driver – McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, the vastly talented Brit, who finds himself languishing in last place.
    There is no escaping the fact McLaren are in a bad shape on track.
    Norris, who has a long-term contract with the team, has continually faced questions about his future with McLaren.
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    Until now he has put on a brave face, saying he always knew that the team were gearing up for 2024 – and had faith in the construction of their new windtunnel – with a view of fighting for the title in 2025.
    Yet it begs the question, can he – or more like will he – be prepared to wait until then? Norris is a winner and it is no secret that he was once courted by Red Bull.
    He is smiling now, but will that still be the case if we reach the mid-season point and McLaren are not improving?
    I doubt it. If anything, their results show they are going backwards.
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    Of course, the optimistic will rightly point out that it was a mechanical issue that stopped Piastri in Bahrain and Norris’s Mercedes-supplied engine was at fault for his pitstops every 10-laps.
    In Saudi too, a first lap contact with Piastri saw a wing endplate fly into the air and subsequently damage Norris’s car.
    Brown has responded swiftly by axing James Key, who had been with the team since 2018, saying it was a change that has been needed “for some time”.
    In the reshuffle David Sanchez will return to McLaren from Ferrari – but not until January 2024 – meaning his arrival will not be felt until midway through that year.
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
    McLaren have struggled during this Formula One seasonCredit: Reuters
    By that point, it could be too long for Norris to wait for the improvements.
    I desperately feel that McLaren need a solid result in Melbourne this weekend, otherwise the pressure – and the question marks – will continue.
    FORMULA E
    PEOPLE keep on telling me that F1 is boring now that Max Verstappen is winning – well maybe they should tune in to Formula E.
    The racing this season has been excellent, there is a different winner every race and now there is some real needle between the drivers.
    After they collided in Brazil, title contender Jake Dennis labelled Dan Ticktum a “plonker” who is racing “in his own little world”.
    Ticktum is no stranger to controversy and once overtook 10 cars under safety car conditions to catch and crash into a rival.
    “It’s just a target on my back now,” said Dennis. “That’s two races now where I’ve been driving my own race and some plonker 100 metres behind just forgets to brake and just smashes into me.
    “It’s just typical. I don’t know what else I can do. I don’t know what he was thinking; I’ve seen the onboard and he’s like in his own little world.
    “I’m pretty annoyed with Dan, I don’t know what the situation is with that but he just forgot to brake and smashed into me.”
    Bring it on!
    MOTOGP
    SPARE a thought for poor MotoGP rider Marc Marquez, who will miss the Argentina GP following his crash in Portugal.
    The Spaniard, who has been plagued by injuries, broke the thumb of his right hand when he collided with RNF rider Oliveira on Sunday.
    Marquez underwent an operation in Madrid where he had two screws inserted to realign his thumb and will not be fit enough to race in Argentina on April 2nd.
    Marquez has not been able to complete a full season without injury since 2019 when he won his sixth title.
    WSERIES’ MAJOR PLANS
    WSERIES – the all-female open-wheeled racing championship is still alive and hoping to attract new investment to go racing this year.
    The series was cut-short last season after the Singapore GP when an investor pulled out and since then, F1 have launched their own academy targeting female racers.
    However, the WSeries CEO, Catherine Bond Muir, has been trying to bring in new funds so the championship can continue.
    Read More on The Sun
    MEMORY LANE
    JENSON BUTTON made his NASCAR debut and finished 18th at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
    The 2009 F1 world champion was driving a Ford Mustang during the 68-lap race where he went up against Kimi Raikkonen, who was also making his debut in the series. The Finn finished in 29th place. More

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    Lewis Hamilton takes break from early F1 season struggles as he heads to golf course with Brit pal Lando Norris

    LEWIS HAMILTON took a break from Formula One to take in a spot of golf alongside Lando Norris.Both Hamilton and Norris have endured difficult starts to the season, with Mercedes nowhere near Red Bull’s pace to compete for race wins and McLaren languishing at the bottom of the order.
    Lewis Hamilton was joined by Lando Norris for some golfCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
    Hamilton also shared a video of him hitting a golf ballCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
    With the backdrop of the image being a picturesque sunsetCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
    Hamilton has 31.9m Instagram followersCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
    Hamilton has endured a difficult start to his F1 seasonCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
    However, the pair decided to wind down and put disappointing starts to the season behind them by grabbing some golf clubs.
    Hamilton, 38, shared a pair of images and a video to his Instagram on Wednesday of himself and Norris.
    He captioned his post: “Golf 🔗 w[ith] Lando and Uncle Terry. Great game, okay photos.”
    The video he shared showed off his swing in a sunset background.
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    Fans rushed to the comments to remark on the British duo’s collab.
    One fan said: “😍 My two favourite guys ❤️.”
    A second fan commented: “I think this is the cutest thing!”
    A third typed: “My favourite two drivers! ❤️❤️❤️.”
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    Norris is known to be an avid golf fan, previously speaking to Golf Digest about his love of the game.
    The 23-year-old said: “I’m fully addicted, like I can’t describe how addicted I am to golf. I watch it every weekend. I’m looking at the scores.
    “I’m watching the live streams. The golf bug has really bit me hard, but it’s really enjoyable.”
    Both drivers won’t be back in an F1 seat until the start of April, with the Australian Grand Prix on April 2.

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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    F1 ace Lando Norris ‘robbed of his incredibly rare £144,000 designer watch while leaving Wembley after Euro 2020 final’

    F1 ACE Lando Norris was robbed of his “unique” £144,000 designer watch in Wembley Stadium’s VIP car park, a court heard yesterday.The McLaren driver, 23, was targeted for his Richard Mille timepiece – one of only five in the world – as he walked to his £165,000 McLaren GT after the Euro 2020 final.
    Lando Norris’ watch was stolen in July 2021 as he left Wembley StadiumCredit: Getty
    Liam Williams, 25, has denied robbing the F1 starCredit: Dan Charity
    The Richard Mille “prototype limited edition McLaren watch”, also known as the RM6702, was the only one in the world with a blue strap made to measure for the driver’s wrist.
    Despite never being made available for sale, the designer estimates the value to be around £144,000 – excluding VAT.
    Liam Williams, 25, from Merseyside has denied robbing the Belgian-British F1 star on July 11, 2021.
    He appeared at court today wearing a navy-blue t-shirt and grey ripped jeans.

    The robbery came after England’s defeat to Italy on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
    Tyrone Silcott, prosecuting, said the attack happened in the VIP yellow car park at Wembley Stadium following the final.
    Mr Norris told Harrow Crown Court it was midnight and raining as he spoke to members of the public next to his McLaren.
    He then realised two suspects were circling the car.
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    He added: “I noticed the suspect looking around my car and myself while keeping his head down. I believe his right hand was near, or on, his pocket.”
    The first suspect “slowly approached”, he added.
    “When I turned towards him, he asked me ‘is this your car?’ I do not recall exactly what happened.
    “Suspect 1 then went behind me and put his right arm around my neck and his left arm was under my back.
    “Suspect 1 pushed me into him and pulled me back by my neck.”
    Lando was left looking up at the sky as the first man told the second to “grab the watch”.
    He added: “Suspect 2 struggled to get the watch for a while however they used force to pull the watch off leaving scratches on my arm.
    “When suspect 1 had his arm around my neck the suspect manages to get the watch off my left wrist.”
    After just 30 seconds the attackers ran away via a nearby pedestrian walkway.
    Cops took two swabs from the F1 driver, two from his neck and two from his left wrist, where the watch was stolen.
    The prosecutor said the tests suggested a match with Williams’ DNA.
    And Williams’ phone records show he travelled to Wembley from Liverpool on the day of the theft.
    His phone was logged near Wembley Stadium in the early hours of July 12, 2021 before travelling back to Liverpool on July 13, 2021.
    Williams was arrested in Liverpool on July 18, 2021 on suspicion of robbery and attended a voluntary interview that day, where he answered no comment to all questions.
    He was interviewed again on July 19 and answered no comment again to all questions.
    On that same day a “video identification” took place, however Mr Norris was unable to identify him as one of the robbers, jurors heard.
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    He then attended a third interview on December 12, 2021 where he again answered no comment to all questions.
    The trial continues. More